U.S. Women’s World Cup team scores 3-0 win over South Africa in friendly at Levi’s

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United States forward Carli Lloyd (10), right, celebrates after scoring with teammate Megan Rapinoe (15), center, during the second half of their friendly game versus South Africa at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calf., on Sunday, May 12, 2019. (Randy Vazquez/Bay Area News Group)

United States midfielder Julie Ertz (8), left, jumps for a header with South Africa’s Jermaine Seoposenwe (12), right, during the first half of their friendly game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calf., on Sunday, May 12, 2019. Ertz appeared to have suffered an injury in her mouth area. (Randy Vazquez/Bay Area News Group)

South Africa’s Lebohang Ramalepe (2), left, and United States forward Megan Rapinoe (15), right, go after a ball during the second half of their friendly game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calf., on Sunday, May 12, 2019. The United State would win the game 3-0 over South Africa. (Randy Vazquez/Bay Area News Group)

United States defender Tierna Davidson (12), right, leaps around South Africa’s Lebohang Ramalepe (2), left, during the second half of their friendly game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calf., on Sunday, May 12, 2019. (Randy Vazquez/Bay Area News Group)

United States midfielder Samantha Mewis (3), center, is hugged by teammate Megan Rapinoe (15), right, after scoring during the second half of their friendly game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calf., on Sunday, May 12, 2019. (Randy Vazquez/Bay Area News Group)

United States defender Kelley O’Hara (5), center, falls down after receiving contact from South Africa’s Nothando Vilakazi (3), left, during the first half of their friendly game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calf., on Sunday, May 12, 2019. (Randy Vazquez/Bay Area News Group)

United States forward Tobin Heath (17), right, gets around South Africa’s Nothando Vilakazi (3), left, during the first half of their friendly game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calf., on Sunday, May 12, 2019. (Randy Vazquez/Bay Area News Group)

United States midfielder Julie Ertz (8), left, jumps up for a header with South Africa’s Refiloe Jane (15), right, during the first half of their friendly game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calf., on Sunday, May 12, 2019. (Randy Vazquez/Bay Area News Group)

United States forward Alex Morgan (13), right, applauds the fans after her teams friendly game versus South Africa at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calf., on Sunday, May 12, 2019. The United States would win the game 3-0 over South Africa. (Randy Vazquez/Bay Area News Group)

United States forward Alex Morgan (13), right, tries to control the ball while being defended by South Africa’s Noko Matlou (4), left, defender during the first half of their friendly game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calf., on Sunday, May 12, 2019. (Randy Vazquez/Bay Area News Group)

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SANTA CLARA — If the United States hopes to defend its Women’s World Cup title, it probably will have to survive games like the friendly the Americans experienced Sunday.

The world’s top-ranked team lacked sharpness against a South African team determined to play as if it were a desperate hockey club in a penalty kill situation.

But midfielder Samantha Mewis showed the kind of resolve the United States will need next month when starting its World Cup run in France. Mewis scored in each half to propel the Americans to a 3-0 victory in front of 22,788 fans in the women’s first appearance at Levi’s Stadium.

U.S. Soccer officials scheduled the game for the 49ers’ 68,500-seat stadium in hopes of attracting a Mother Day’s crowd of 30,000 people. The popular women’s team has played at 18,000-seat Avaya Stadium in San Jose in its previous Bay Area stops in the past four years.

Still, it was the team’s largest crowd of the year.

Mewis, a former UCLA star, was a big presence on a day the Americans’ passing was sloppy and many of the runs into the penalty area were timed wrong.

It was a byproduct of South Africa’s defensive tactics. The yellow-jerseyed visitors kept 10 women behind the ball much of the game to withstand waves of U.S. assaults.

U.S. coach Jill Ellis welcomed the South Africans’ style of individual marking that her team could face when it matters next month in France.

Ellis understood the need for a change after the United States was stunned in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Olympics by defensive-minded Sweden in a 4-3 penalty shootout.

“That was a memory that was kind of burned into my head,” Ellis said. “The game has just exponentially, tactically evolved. The things that teams throw at you now, the things that you have to adapt to, the things that you see. We’ve got to make sure that we have players that can break teams down.”

The United States adjusted in the second half Sunday while outshooting South Africa 19-5 overall. The team got a spark with stars Megan Rapinoe and Carli Lloyd coming off the bench.

It had taken the Americans a while to figure out a way through the South African rampart in the first half. Stanford alum Kelley O’Hara found openings along the right sideline with break after break from her outside back position. It appeared the defender found a way through in the 24th minute but a good chance was nullified when O’Hara was offside.

It wasn’t until the 37th minute that the deadlock ended when Rose Lavelle found Mewis at the top of the penalty area. Mewis, a strong central midfielder, controlled the ball and sent a hard-hit shot past goalkeeper Andile Dlamini.

Mewis got her 11th international goal career in the 78th minute when popping in the ball over onrushing keeper Kaylin Swart, who played three years at Menlo College.

“At halftime, we were able to solve some things,” Mewis said. “In a World Cup, something like that is going to be really important, being able to make adjustments on the fly.”

The goal came after a quick free kick by Rapinoe, who got the ball back and served an arching pass in front of the goal where Mewis charged in to score.

“I think we learned a lot from our performance,” Mewis said. “We were able to grow as the game went on.”

Lloyd scored her 108th career goal in second-half stoppage time off fine play by forward Mallory Pugh, who dribbled through two defenders in tight quarters to deliver the ball to the team’s captain.

Five of the six players with Bay Area ties started Sunday with outside back Tierna Davidson of Menlo Park entering the game at the start of the second half. Davidson suffered a scary collision with an opponent but was able to return.

The Americans play New Zealand on Thursday and end their tune-up series May 26 against Mexico.

Elliott Almond is a reporter for the Bay Area News Group who has covered 11 Olympics, follows soccer and writes about social issues in sports such as concussions. Almond previously worked at the Los Angeles Times and Seattle Times as an investigative sports reporter and has been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize three times. An author of a book on surfing, Almond spent a good portion of his youth travelling the California and Baja California coastlines searching for the perfect wave. He now can be found among towering coast redwoods in remote NorCal forests.

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